Protein Chemistry: Principles

Catalog description

Protein Chemistry: Principles is a course suitable for all students interested in developing critical thinking skills through literature examples of protein activity and its regulation. In this course, students and instructors will use the primary literature to learn and apply the practical formalisms in protein chemistry – including thermodynamics, kinetics, enzymology, and chemical biology – to the regulation of protein activity. Biology is governed by thermodynamic and kinetic principles, but these principles are often abstract to students. The purpose of this course is for students to develop utility in thermodynamic and kinetic principles and apply them to biological systems. The course will emphasize literature examples and expect students to learn these principles by working through problem sets provided by instructors. Students will be able to differentiate when thermodynamics or kinetics likely govern a given biological system and have a framework by which to analyze new systems. In addition, classroom discussions will include alternative methods and their relative merits. From these analyses, students will hone their critical thinking and communication skills. Grading for this course will be based on 225 total points: 90 pts for one in-class 90 min exam (90 pts, 10pts/lecture, 40% of grade), 90 pts for a student-directed presentations/discussions (metric attached, 40% of grade), and 45 pts on overall student participation in instructor-led discussion sessions (metric attached, 20% of grade). The course will be capped at a maximum of 12 students; a minimum of 4 students will be required to offer this course. Instructors for this course will include current faculty members participating in the Biochemistry Graduate Program. The course will be offered every Spring semester. An overarching goal of the course is to prepare students for understanding the methods and logic underlying experimental design in modern biomedical research.